Napoleonic 20 #17

When the capture of Vienna failed to bring the Austrians to the bargaining table, Napoleon sought more direct means of ending the War of the Fifth Coalition. His first attempt was a nearly impromptu effort to force a crossing of the Danube, then in full spring flood, with the handful of forces that were immediately available. Almost predictably, the resulting battle of Aspern-Essling resulted in a crushing French defeat. Stung by the setback, Napoleon then spent the next month and a half preparing for another assault at the same site, this time concentrating all available troops to ensure his success.
In the ensuing battle of Wagram, the second largest engagement of the Napoleonic era, Napoleon managed to defeat the Austrians but failed to achieve the decisive result he'd hoped for, forcing him to acknowledge that his foes were "no longer the enemy of old."

 
Danube 20 features both the battles of Aspern-Essling and Wagram, allowing players to examine this pair of critical battles fought just across the Danube from Vienna. Featuring low unit density (20 pieces or less) and modest complexity, the game focuses on dramatic, fast-playing turns and creating a strong historical narrative. The use of "story-driven" random event cards and the tracking of army morale provide for operational pauses and the "friction of war" to give players a great feel for the parry-and-thrust of a Napoleonic grand battle as the armies close to bayonet-point to see which will break first!

Number of Players: 2
Ages: 13 and up
Playing Time: approximately 60 minutes
Complexity: 4.5 on a 9 scale
Solitaire Suitability: 5.5 on a 9 scale
Scale: Each unit is 1 corps, each hex about 1200 meters, and each turn roughly 3.5 daylight hours (8 hours at night).

•    One full color rules booklet (Standard, Exclusive and Optional rules included)
•    One double-sided 11" x 17" paper game map (Aspern-Essling 20 and Wagram 20)
•    87 thick, double-sided, multi-shaped game pieces
•    25 Event cards
•    One 8.5" x 11" Player Aid Mat
•    One 4.25" x 11" Terrain Effects Chart

Suggested Polybag Price: $29.95

What's In The Box?:

Game Design: Kim Meints
Series Developer: Lance McMillan
Producer: Alan Emrich
Research: John "Jack" Gill
Art & Graphic Design: Tim Allen, Alan Emrich, Richard Starke
Playtesting: Rick Barber, Mike Bowen, Andreas E. Gebhardt, John Gibbins, Grant Gill, John “Jack” Gill, Kevin McHale, Kim Meints, David Moody, James Noone, Joe Oppenheimer, Bill Rutherford, Scott Stalter, Hugh Tracy
Proofreading: Bill Barrett, Brad Bernstein, Rick Partin, Leigh Toms, Ian Wakeham

  
Suggested Mounted Map Price: $7.50